Soulmates
by Lily Ophelia
Summary: Harry takes Luna to Slughorn's party, and in a moment of emotion, he does something that causes him to question all he thought he knew about himself. Unfortunately, he chooses to deny what he truly knows, and it begins to tear him apart. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

_Soulmates_

**Chapter One**

Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were lounging by the crackling fire in the Gryffindor common room, drying out their snow sodden clothes, and drinking large cups of steaming hot chocolate.

They had just returned from a spectacular snowball fight between Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, in which they had spent a good three hours pelting each other with snowballs, while zooming through the air on broomsticks. At one point, Luna Lovegood got confused and turned on her own team. When this was pointed out, she merely said, "Oh. Well, I guess I'm used to fighting alongside the Gryffindors," which caused everyone a great laugh.

"So, who are you going to take, Harry?" Ron asked, eyeing Harry over the rim of his mug.

It was almost Christmas Break, and Professor Slughorn was throwing a huge party for everyone before they went home for Christmas.

"I don't know," Harry replied. "It just doesn't seem important this year, not after-"

He stopped abruptly. Thinking of Sirius was still too painful. He took a deep breath and looked up at Ron, hoping he hadn't noticed his hesitation. Ron hadn't seemed to, or if he did, he was ignoring it.

"Besides, if it's going to be anything like the last time, I'm not sure I want to go."

"Yeah," Ron said knowingly, "I'm going to ask Hermione tonight so she doesn't have time to get all worked up about it, and I don't have to worry about finding a date last min-"

Crookshanks took this moment to jump into Ron's lap, causing Ron to promptly upset his hot chocolate all over his lap.

"God damn—"

"Ron!"

Hermione appeared through the portrait, her large book bag slung over her shoulder. "Don't curse," she said sternly. "Think of the first years."

She flopped down in one of the chairs before the fire, dropping her book bag to the floor.

"Right," Ron said sarcastically, "like they've never heard worse coming from Peeves; he's got the filthiest mouth in Hogwarts! Besides," he said, looking around the empty common room, "there's no one here!"

"Nevertheless," Hermione murmured. Crookshanks jumped into her lap, curled up and sat down and the fire crackled merrily in comfortable silence. Harry noticed Ron was watching Hermione as she gently stroked her cat, his face soft. Taking this as his cue to leave, Harry gathered his things and said goodnight. He met Ron's eye as he left, and raised his eyebrows. Ron blushed, but said nothing.

Harry went up to the boys' dormitory and sat down at the window by his bed. It was still snowing outside, the flakes swirling around in the winter wind, and Harry was glad to be inside where it was cozy and warm. As he stared out into the snow, he caught sight of a figure out on the grounds.

Harry squinted his eyes and pressed his nose against the glass, trying to make out who it was.

Through the swirling flakes, he saw a glint of blonde hair and a blue knit cap. It was Luna Lovegood, and she was holding a small jar filled with blue light.

"What the hell is she doing out there?" he muttered, his breath frosting the window. He grabbed his invisibility cloak and slipped out of the Gryffindor tower as quietly as possible, careful not to look at the spot where he had left Hermione and Ron not ten minutes before.

Escaping a close run-in with Mrs. Norris on the second floor landing, Harry finally made it outside.

The footprints from their snowball fight earlier had been completely covered with soft white powder that twinkled in the moonlight. Harry slipped off the invisibility cloak as he caught sight of Luna's blue hat through the snow. He went towards her, calling her name.

Luna turned around, and when she caught sight of him a smile lit up her face.

"Harry!" she cried, stumbling over her snow boots, and almost dropping her jar of blue light.

"Whoa, careful!" Harry said, steadying her.

"Thanks!" She beamed up at him, her cheeks pink with cold.

"Luna, what are you doing out here so late?" he asked her. "You could get in trouble."

Luna laughed. "Since when has the great and troublesome Harry Potter cared about getting in trouble?"

Harry smiled sheepishly, stuffing his hands in his cloak.

"So…what are you doing out here so late?" He asked. "And what is that you're holding?" He pointed at the glowing blue jar.

"Oh, these are snow fairies," Luna replied, handing him the jar.

They looked something like the fire that Hermione had made in their first year, but the jar wasn't warm. In fact it was as cold as the snow around them. As he held it up to his face he could see tiny creature with wings as blue as ice. One bared its tiny teeth at him, and Harry could be sure another gave him the middle finger.

"Nice little buggers, aren't they?" Harry grimaced, handing the jar back to Luna.

Luna laughed again, and a small shiver slipped down Harry's spine at the sound.

"I came out here to let them go," Luna said, gripping her hand around the lid. "Hagrid found them in the trees he brought in for Christmas and I said I would keep them until the next snowfall and let them go." Her face screwed up in determination, Luna tried to twist the lid off the jar, but she was unable to make it budge.

"Why do you have to wait for snowfall?" Harry asked as he gently removed the jar from her small hands, his fingers brushing hers.

Luna looked up at him quickly, the smile gone from her face. It returned so fast, Harry wondered if it had ever disappeared.

"They like to nest in fir trees, but without the snow around them, they cannot live. But they are stubborn, and will try to get back to the same tree, even if it is inside. The snowfall helps disorient them."

"Sounds a bit like gnomes," Harry said, unscrewing the jar lid easily, being careful to keep the lid on. He handed it back to Luna.

She took it and looked at him curiously.

"How is your heart?"

"My-my what?" Harry stammered out, staring at her.

"How is your heart?" she repeated. "The loss of your godfather must still be very difficult for you."

Harry felt as though he'd been sucker punched. It had been six months since someone had mentioned Sirius in front of him, and certainly no one had asked about the wellbeing of his heart.

"I know when my mum died, my heart hurt for a very long time," Luna went on, not noticing the look on his face. "I suppose it still does, but not nearly as much as it used to. Time makes it better you know."

"Yeah, that's what people say," he muttered, kicking at the snow.

What should he say? She always seemed to understand what he was going through even when he told her nothing, so lying to her didn't feel right. After a brief moment of hesitation, he chose honesty over a lie.

"I don't know," he said quietly. "My heart is….well…." He trailed off, unsure how to put his feelings into words.

"That's okay, Harry, I understand," she said, smiling, and held the jar of buzzing fairies out in front of her. "Better get out of the way, they can be nasty after being cooped up."

She motioned for him to get behind her, which he did, and she lifted the lid from the jar. About ten fairies flew out, swarming angrily around them. They grabbed hold of Luna's long hair and pulled hard.

"Ow!" she exclaimed trying to brush them away. This only made them pull harder. Harry whipped out his wand and-

"Stupefy!" he shouted, flicking his wand at a particularly vicious fairy.

Stunned, the fairy let go and floated towards the ground.

With an angry buzz, the rest of the fairies let go of Luna's hair and took off through the snow towards the Forbidden Forest, supporting the stunned fairy between them.

"Oh Harry, thanks!" Luna said gratefully. "They can get quite put out being kept in a jar for so long."

"No problem," Harry said, giving Luna a quick smile.

They stood in the silent snow watching the blue flickers of light disappear, then silently trudged back up to the castle.

* * *

**Author's Note:**** I want to thank my Beta SometimeSelkie for all her hard work! I couldn't have done this without her.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next day, Harry woke up feeling warm and in a cheery mood. He wanted to ask Ron how Hermione had answered his question, but he was still snoring in the bed beside him, so Harry got dressed and went downstairs to the common room. He found Hermione up and reading a large book by the fire, Crookshanks curled up at her feet.

"So?" Harry asked, flopping into a large squashy armchair across from Hermione. He grinned at her, and she turned pink.

"He asked me to Slughorn's party, and I said yes," Hermione replied, putting her book down.

"About time," Harry said, shaking his head. "After the whole thing with Lavender, I was hoping he would finally realize that there was someone much better suited to him right under his nose."

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, blushing. Her eyes were bright with happiness, and her cheeks flushed. Harry felt a pang of jealousy in his chest, but he ignored it and picked up Crookshanks so she couldn't see his eyes.

"So," Hermione asked breathlessly, "who are you going to ask? The party is in five days; you don't have much time."

Harry slumped down in his chair.

"I don't know," he said. "I don't really have anyone…."

"What about Ginny?" Hermione asked slowly. "I don't think she has a date."

Harry looked up from Crookshanks.

"Ginny? I don't know if Ron would be too pleased with that."

"It's none of Ron's business," Hermione said, picking her book up. "Ginny can date whoever she likes."

"Yeah, like half of the blokes in our year already," Harry mumbled, thinking of the time he caught her snogging Dean Thomas under the tapestry.

"Hey now," Hermione said reprovingly, "that's not fair. Dean and Michael are not 'half the blokes in our year'."

She looked at him meaningfully.

"If you disapprove so much, why don't you ask her? I'm sure Ron would rather you went out with her than Dean Thomas." With that, she opened her book and disappeared behind it.

Harry sat in silence stroking Crookshanks and mulling over what Hermione had said.

He wasn't sure how he felt about Ginny. Oh, he knew how he felt when he had caught her kissing Dean with Ron a month ago. He had become suddenly and irrevocably jealous of Dean and had wanted to punch him in the face. Maybe even more than Ron did.

He didn't have much time to brood over this, because Ron came down from the boy's dormitory, looking absolutely everywhere but at Hermione.

"Morning," he mumbled, flopping down in the chair next to her.

"Good morning, Ron," Hermione said nervously, putting her book down.

Ron looked at Harry, embarrassment clearly etched on his face.

"Right, morning," Harry said quickly, standing up so fast Crookshanks bolted off his lap with a hiss. "Shall we go down to breakfast?"

"Yes," Ron said, getting up as well, "I'm starving!"

As they left the common room, they ran into Ginny, her nose pink with cold and her eyes bright.

"Hello, you lot," she said brightly, taking off her green knit hat. "Going to breakfast? I'll walk with you."

Snowflakes still clung to her hair, and Harry had the urge to brush them off. He fought off the compulsion by stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"What are you so happy about?" Ron asked.

"Oh nothing much," she said, glancing at Harry. "I was just asked to go to Slughorn's party."

Harry felt Hermione's eyes rest on him and he tried his hardest to keep his face neutral.

"By who?" Ron asked roughly, his ears turning red.

Harry instantly became wary; Ron didn't always use his best judgment when it came to Ginny and boys.

Ginny turned to him, her hand on her hip.

"Not that it's any of your business, Ron," she said scornfully, "but it was Dean."

Ron opened his mouth to say something, but quickly snapped it shut.

"Why, didn't you ask anyone yet?" She smirked, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Actually," Hermione said slowly, "he asked me. Last night."

Instantly forgetting her exasperation with Ron, Ginny shrieked with glee and, grabbing Hermione's hand, pulled her ahead of Ron and Harry, where they giggled and whispered together, ignoring the two boys behind them.

Harry looked at Ron, who just shrugged.

"Whatever," he said. "If he hurts her, I'll beat him to a pulp."

Harry smiled, but inside he felt disappointed. Ginny was going with Dean. Harry was too late. He was always too late.

Feeling miserable and alone, Harry let the others go on ahead, feigning he had to tie his shoe laces. He didn't want to be a part of their happy chatter.

_I guess there's always Eloise Midgen_, he thought despairingly. The alternative was to go alone.

Sighing, he made his way down the stairs into the Entrance Hall.

It was there he saw Luna coming out of the girls' bathroom with a bunch of fifth year girls, and had a wild idea.

The girls were all giggling and pointing at her, but Luna didn't look as if she noticed them at all. In fact, she looked as serene as ever.

Harry bounded down the stairs, ignoring the excited whispering of Romilda Vane and her group of friends.

"Hi Luna," he said quickly. "I was wondering if-"

Suddenly he stopped and impulsively lifted a lock of her long hair.

"Er- why is your hair blue?"

Her long blonde hair was colored a light ice blue, and it looked as though she had icicles floating around her face.

"Oh, I had a bit of an accident in Charms class," Luna replied, beaming at him. "But I think it suits me quite well, don't you?"

"Yeah, look…." He stumbled over his words now, not quite sure what he was doing. It had all seemed so easy a few seconds ago. "I was wondering if you would go to Slughorn's party with me."

There. He had said it. He heard gasps around him, but all he could do was look down into Luna's surprised face.

"Slughorn's party? With you?"

"Um. Yeah," Harry mumbled. "You know, as friends. Since we're friends…"

Inside, he cursed himself for sounding like such a bumbling idiot.

"I'd love to go with you as friends!" Luna said happily, her radish earrings swinging side to side. "I've never been to a party with anyone before!"

"Excellent," he said, his heart sinking in relief. "I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall at eight o'clock, then."

"Okay, see you at eight o'clock." Luna beamed at him happily before turning around and almost running into a pillar. Looking startled, she then giggled and made her way up the staircase.

Harry's stomach flip-flopped as he watched her go, but before he could think too much on why his insides were behaving so strangely, Ron was tugging on his arm.

Ron dragged Harry into a deserted corner and rounded on him, still gripping his arm tightly.

"What was that?" he asked, looking aghast.

"What was what?" Harry asked defensively, yanking his arm out of Ron's rather firm grasp.

"Why did you just ask Luna Lovegood to Slughorn's party?" Ron pressed on, ignoring him. "Have you gone mad?"

"No, of course not, I did it because I wanted to. Damn, Ron, that hurt!" he said grouchily, rubbing his bruised arm.

Ron stared at him, a funny look on his face.

"You don't like her, do you?" he asked suddenly. "You know, more than a friend, right?"

Harry stared at him, his face heating up.

"What? No! Of course not," he said firmly. "I just thought it would be fun to go with her, that's all. Really. Besides, who else would I go with?"

"Alright," Ron replied, unconvinced. "If you say so."

"I do say so," Harry muttered irritably.

They entered the Great Hall where he was suddenly bombarded by whispers and stares from other students.

"Can you believe it?" he heard Lavender whisper loudly. "Loony Lovegood! Harry Potter asked Loony Lovegood!"

"News travels rather fast, doesn't it?" he said grumpily, throwing himself into a chair and heaping sausages, eggs, and bacon onto his plate. Ron sat down next to him and ladled himself a bowl of porridge. Hermione smiled at Harry from across the table, a knowing look in her eye that made him very uncomfortable.

"What?" he asked her gruffly.

"Oh, nothing," she said. "I think it's lovely you asked Luna to the ball."

From the other side of the room, Draco Malfoy was staring vacantly into space with his mouth hanging open, obviously an exaggerated impression of Luna. The Slytherins around him laughed uproariously.

Harry grimaced.

"You really think it's great?" he asked Hermione doubtfully.

"Yes, of course."

Harry scowled at Ron, who turned back to his porridge with renewed vigor.

"Funny, because you seem to be the only one."

"I'm not the only one," Hermione replied, still smiling. "Ginny thinks it's great too."

"Really?"

Harry sat up straighter and looked down the Gryffindor table to where Ginny was sitting with Dean.

"Really?" Ron asked, looking from Hermione to Harry, a curious expression on his face. "Why would Ginny care who Harry brings to the party?"

Hermione looked at him pitifully.

"What?" Ron asked, clearly affronted.

"Nothing," she sighed, picking up her books. "I'm going to the library."

Harry absently waved goodbye to her as he looked back at Ginny. She was laughing at something Dean said, showing off perfectly straight white teeth. She had pulled her hair into a ponytail today, and as she laughed it flipped slightly in the back.

"Harry!"

Ron's loud voice interrupted his reverie and he quickly snapped back to attention.

"What?" he asked.

"We have to get to class. Defense against the Dark Arts," Ron said, making a face.

Harry's heart sank. The last thing he wanted to do was sit for two hours with Snape glaring at him. Sighing, he picked up his bag, and with one last glance towards Ginny, he followed Ron out of the hall.

* * *

Author's Note: I wanted to give credit and thanks to H-Johanna over at for the inspiration she provided me with her picture of Harry and Luna's blue hair! This picture is actually the seed of my story. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The last few days of classes flew by, and the day of the party dawned cloudy, the threat of snow hanging thickly in the air.

In the afternoon, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny went outside into the crisp December air for a snowball fight.

Harry and Ginny were teamed against Hermione and Ron, who kept arguing about technique. "You can't learn snow ball fights from a book," Ron said, aghast, when Hermione suggested a defensive move she had read about. "It just doesn't work like that."

"Of course you can," Hermione said huffily. "You can at least learn the basic-EEEEEEH!"

Ginny had stuffed a large snowball down the back of her coat.

"That's it!" Hermione shouted, picking up a handful of snow. "You'd better watch out, Ginny Weasley!"

Ginny shrieked and ran away laughing as Hermione chased her with the snowball.

Later, they went into the castle for a game of chess (on Ron, Ginny, and Harry's part) and reading (on Hermione's part). Because Harry was so bad, Ginny tried to help him, but Ron beat them anyways.

Harry was having so much fun, he almost forgot about the ball. At a quarter to five o'clock, Ginny leapt to her feet, announcing she had to go take a bath.

"Already?" Ron asked in surprise, looking at his watch. "We have three hours!"

"Oh no! I wasn't keeping an eye on the time," Hermione said, getting up in a panic. "I have to go too!"

Ron gaped at them as they ran up the staircase to the girls' dormitory. Other girls were beginning to leave the common room as well. And by a quarter after five, there were only boys left.

"Amazing," Harry said, shaking his head. "Do they really need that long?"

"Want to play another game?" Ron asked, grinning at him.

Harry grinned back. "Definitely."

They played until seven-thirty, when they went up to their dorm to put on their dress robes.

Harry felt glad when he saw Ron pull out of his trunk a set of emerald green dress robes with copper buttons. He had asked the twins to buy Ron a new set when he had given them his winnings from the Tri-Wizard Cup two years ago.

His own had grown too short in the past year, so he had bought new ones too. Normally Harry didn't care about clothes, but he also didn't want to look bad. He had put in some effort this time and had chosen robes in royal blue with gold he looked in the mirror, he had to admit he looked pretty good. Ron came up behind him and gave the mirror a disparaging glance.

"It's better than last time," he said nervously.

Harry patted him on the back.

"Don't worry, Ron," he said encouragingly, grinning at him. "Just don't be a prat."

Ron managed a weak smile.

Dean came up and tried to run a comb through his tightly curled hair. He was dressed in velvet robes the color of amber, and, Harry admitted grudgingly, looked good.

"Nice robes, Harry," Dean said, smiling.

Harry tried to smile back.

"Yours too."

Ron was glaring at Dean suspiciously, his arms crossed.

"Hey," he said. "Be good to my sister, mate. You do anything funny, and I'll be sure to-"

"Right, Ron," Harry interrupted him. "Let's go, our dates are waiting."

He grabbed Ron's arm and dragged him out of the dorm, Dean grinning after them.

Outside, the common room was packed with Gryffindors. Harry saw Ginny waiting beside the fireplace for Dean, looking beautiful in purple dress robes with her hair piled on top of her head. When she saw him, she smiled, and Harry smiled back, a feeling of warmth spreading through him.

It vanished instantly when Dean appeared by her side, taking her hand. Pushing away his jealousy, he turned back to Ron.

"Where's Hermione?" he asked, but Ron wasn't listening. He was staring at the staircase to the girls' dormitory. Harry followed his eyes.

There was Hermione dressed in light blue dress robes, her hair loose and curled. She smiled nervously at Ron, who took her hand without a word. Harry glanced sideways into Ron's face. What he saw there wasn't the usual stunned and awestruck look. It was more.

Feeling the intruder, Harry said goodbye (they didn't even notice him) and made his way through the crowd and down to the Entrance Hall.

Luna was already there, waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Harry stopped right in front of her; he could only stare in surprise.

Gone were the radish earrings and rumpled robes, the Butterbeer cap necklace and the surprised look. She was wearing silver robes made from layers of transparent material, and her hair (still blue, Harry noticed) was floating around her face in curls. Small moonstones twinkled on her ears and in the hollow of her pale throat.

When she caught sight of Harry, her face lit up and she smiled happily.

"Hi Harry!"

She waved at him, bouncing a little.

Harry smiled back at her.

"Hi Luna, you look- really nice," he said awkwardly, not knowing if that was the right thing to say or not.

"Really?" Luna asked. "No one has ever said that to me before."

Harry felt these words like a knife cutting through his heart. Luna always had a knack for speaking uncomfortable truths, but this was different. This wasn't about someone else, but herself.

"Really," he said softly. "You look great."

Luna looked startled at his tone, and Harry felt his face get hot.

"Let's go in," he said quickly.

The Great Hall was filled with students, and while the atmosphere was a little more subdued than in previous Christmases, people were buzzing with the excitement. Hagrid's Christmas trees were well decorated and snow was falling from the enchanted ceiling, disappearing right before touching the tables.

"This looks great!" Harry exclaimed, staring up into the enchanted ceiling.

"Let's get a seat," Luna said, and they found an empty table near the back.

Ron and Hermione joined them soon after, looking very happy. They all loaded their plates with Yorkshire pudding, potatoes, salad, ham, and roast chicken. For dessert there was treacle tart, Christmas pudding, and fudge. After everyone was finished eating, the Weird Sisters came out. As they struck up a popular song, people headed for the dance floor.

Ron smiled and held his hand out to Hermione.

"Let's dance!"

She blushed and took his hand.

Luna watched Ron lead Hermione to the floor.

"He's changed," she said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused. Ron looked the same as ever.

"He's sweeter," Luna replied. "He's more grown-up."

Harry looked back out at Ron and Hermione. They were both laughing and smiling at each other as they danced, and Harry felt a pang of sadness as he watched at them. They were all growing up, he realized, and they wouldn't always be together the way they were now.

Voldemort hung like a great storm cloud over their heads, none more than his own.

"Come on, Harry."

Luna grabbed Harry by the wrist, shaking him out of his melancholy, and pulled him out into the throng of people.

"Dance!" she cried over the music.

"I don't know how," he yelled back, watching her move.

"You don't have to know how, just move!"

So Harry began to move, a little self-consciously at first, but as he got into it, he forgot he didn't know how.

Luna was laughing and Harry felt the happiest he'd been in a long time.

Suddenly the music changed to a slow song and they stopped dancing and looked at each other.

Harry became nervous, aware of her closeness and the scent of her hair.

Luna must have sensed the change in him because she started back to the table, but Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing his own around her waist.

Luna let out a small noise of surprise, but said nothing.

They danced in silence until the song ended and they parted. Harry became acutely embarrassed under her gaze.

"Er, I'll go get drinks" he said awkwardly.

Her face lit up with a smile that crinkled her eyes and Harry's stomach did that funny flip flop again.

"Okay, Harry. I'll be right here."

Harry nearly ran to the refreshments table, his heart pounding in his chest.

"What do you want, Mr. Potter?"

He looked up to see a snooty looking waiter; arms folded looking down at him.

"T-two Butterbeers, please," Harry stammered out.

As the waiter handed him bottles, he heard a loud shout and a splash behind him. Laughter erupted through the hall. Harry turned around, but couldn't see anything. As he tried to push his way through the crowd, Hermione appeared out of nowhere grabbed hold of his arm, and dragged him through.

"Oh Harry!" she said tearfully. "You have to do something!"

What he saw made his heart turn to ice.

It was Luna, standing in the middle of the dance floor, soaked with water, her blue hair dripping limply in her face, and her beautiful silver robes clinging wetly to her body, dangerously close to becoming transparent. Her eyes were bright with tears and her pale hands hung limply at her side.

The Hall echoed with roars of laughter from all houses, especially from the Slytherins, who had organized the horrible prank. Even the Ravenclaws were snorting into their Butterbeer, and Luna was one of their own.

"You never would have guessed," a loud voice drawled behind him, "that Loony Lovegood had such nice tits! Too bad she doesn't have anything else to go with it!"

As Draco and his cronies roared with mirth, something inside Harry began to burn. His head felt hot, and he saw spots. He closed his eyes, but the image of Luna's fallen face had burned itself into the back of his eyelids.

Before he knew what he was doing, Harry turned around and punched Draco Malfoy in the nose. Blood spurted across Pansy's frilly pink dress as she gasped in horror. Draco screamed in pain, and Crabbe and Goyle lunged after Harry. Dodging their fists, Harry grabbed Luna's cold, wet hand and pulled her through the crowd.

Ron called after him, but Harry paid no attention.

He violently pushed the door of the Great Hall open and dragged Luna out onto the snowy grounds. They ran down to the lake, across to the Quidditch pitch, and then when he could run no more, Harry stopped, his heart pounding in his ears. Slowly he turned around.

Luna was looking at him intently through the falling snow, her chest heaving and all the dreaminess gone from her eyes, but the tears lingering.

"You punched Malfoy," she gasped out. "Why did you do that for me?"

Harry opened his mouth to tell her it had been nothing, that as her date it was his job to protect her, but nothing came out. Instead, his body took over his brain and he closed the gap between them, taking her into his arms and pressing his lips against hers.

He grasped her long hair and entangled his fingers into it, pushing her against one of the goal posts. Her body melted into his, molding onto him like warm clay, and he pushed closer. Suddenly, it was Ginny he was kissing, and the hair his fingers were tangled in red instead of blue. Reality punched him in the face, and Harry pulled away.

What had he been thinking?

_That's precisely it, you weren't thinking_, a sly, nasty voice whispered in his ear.

Ginny. He liked Ginny.

"Harry, I—" Luna started, jerking him roughly out ofhis thoughts.

"Don't say anything," Harry interrupted her harshly.

"But—"

"I'm sorry I kissed you," he said. "I shouldn't have done it. It was stupid of me."

He turned away from her, unable to look at her stunned expression.

"I'm sorry."

With that, he started off through the snow towards the castle, leaving her standing by the goalpost, robes whipping in the wind.

When he reached the castle, Harry slipped in through the Entrance Hall unnoticed. The party was still raging inside the Great Hall, despite the drama earlier.

Feeling incredibly guilty, Harry sat down on the staircase behind a pillar, putting his face in his hands.

How could he have kissed Luna Lovegood? For the last couple months, all he could think about was Ginny Weasley.

Groaning, he slumped back against the stairs, and almost missed the door opening. He sat up and peered around the pillar.

Luna was gently shutting the door to the grounds, her robes sodden and her hair hanging limply in her face.

It was then that Harry realized in growing horror that she was still wet.

He had dragged her out into the snow with wet clothes, kissed her, then, in an act of extreme cowardice, had left her there alone.

As he watched her slowly make her way up the stairs, leaving wet footprints on the steps, he had never felt so miserable in his life.

Harry went up to the empty boys' dormitory where he undressed and pulled his curtains closed. Later, the others came in, laughing and whispering. Ron spoke his name, but Harry didn't answer. Hours later, after he could hear Ron's snores, he finally fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The following day, Harry was called into the Headmistress' office, where he received three weeks' worth of detention for punching Malfoy in the face. He had actually broken Malfoy's nose, which had made his punishment worse. Malfoy and three other Slytherins had received the same punishment for their prank, which made his punishment slightly more bearable.

Harry left McGonagall's office to find Ron and Hermione waiting for him. Everyone going home had caught the Hogwarts Express that morning, so the school was practically empty. Ron and Ginny were staying because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were visiting Fleur's parents in France, and Hermione was staying due to her parent's skiing trip, also in France.

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "Three weeks!"

"That is so unfair, mate," Ron patted him on the back sympathetically.

"Yeah, well, 'it was no excuse for violence' according to McGonagall," Harry said in a bitter mimic. "At least Malfoy has the same punishment."

Harry glanced sideways at Ron.

"How did he look, by the way?"

Hermione snorted.

"He left this morning with Pansy Parkinson simpering over him like a complete idiot," she said angrily. "Harry, I usually don't condone fighting unless absolutely necessary, but Malfoy deserved every bit of that!"

Harry and Ron grinned at each other.

"How's Luna?" Ron asked innocently. "After you guys ran out, we didn't see you the rest of the evening."

Harry shot him a dark look.

"But if you don't want to tell us, it's fine," Hermione said quickly.

"Right," Ron agreed. "You don't have to say a word."

Harry was silent, and Ron shifted uncomfortably.

"Well," Hermione said briskly, "We have a lot of reading to catch up on, and I want to get started on my essay for…."

Ron stared at her, aghast.

"Homework? But it's the first day of vacation!"

* * *

Despite his internal struggles, Harry had a good Christmas holiday.

He spent it playing chess and Gobstones; drinking hot chocolate; and on clear days, outside on his broom playing doubles with Ginny, Ron and Hermione. Hermione wasn't very good, but Ron didn't seem to mind being paired up with her, and Harry certainly didn't mind being paired up with Ginny.

Dean had left Hogwarts for Christmas so he had three wonderful weeks of her all to himself. She was such fun to be with, always up for a joke on Filch, or sneaking into the kitchens late at night for a treacle tart. He barely thought of Luna at all, though when he did, his heart would sink into his stomach, and he felt strangely miserable for a few hours.

It wasn't until the day before school started again, that he saw her for the first time since the incident in the snow.

He had gone up to the owlery to send a letter, when he heard a noise from inside. Wondering who could be up here when it was so cold outside, he had slowly opened the door.

There was Luna, feeding the owls grain pellets from the pockets of her robes. Her radish earrings were back and her wand was tucked behind her ear. He noted her hair was again blonde, not blue.

Harry went in and closed the door behind him. At the sound, Luna looked up, her face transforming from a serene expression into a guarded one.

"Hi Luna," he said softly.

She slipped her hands behind her back.

"Hi Harry," she replied. "What are you doing here?"

"Sending a letter," he said, staring at a spot over her head.

"Ah," she replied.

There was a long silence, until Harry couldn't stand it any longer.

"I'm so sorry," he blurted out, "for leaving you outside. It was unforgivable. And what you must think of me for kissing you! I had no right to take advantage of you like that."

Luna stared at him for a long moment, her brows knitting together and a pained expression on her face. It was a look Harry had never seen on her before.

"You like Ginny," she finally said. It wasn't a question.

Harry was startled.

"I-"

But he didn't know what to say. They stood for a long while, the silence only broken by softly hooting owls. Outside it began to snow, flakes falling softly on the windowsills.

Luna finally smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"She likes you too, you know," she said quietly. "She always has."

"I know," Harry replied, surprising himself. He did know it. Why hadn't he figured it out until now? Urgency filled him, and he knew he had to find her and tell her how he felt.

"Sorry, I gotta go," he mumbled, and unable to stand there a second longer, left the owlery at a run.

"Bye Harry," Luna whispered, but Harry didn't hear her. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a little nagging thought was tugging on his conscience, as if telling him something wasn't quite right, but Harry ignored the thought. He burst into the Gryffindor common room to find Ron and Hermione curled up by the fire.

"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked, out of breath.

"She's gone to meet Dean," Hermione said, not looking him in the eyes. "He just got back."

Harry's heart sank.

"Right," he said in a hollow voice. "Well, I'm going to bed."

"But it's only seven o'clock!" Ron protested.

Harry ignored him and went straight up to bed, his insides cold.

But he couldn't sleep. He lay there behind his closed curtains long after Ron had come to bed, his eyes wide open.

What was he going to do? Even though he was sure that Ginny liked him, he didn't want to steal her out from under Dean's nose. He couldn't do that to someone he considered a friend, no matter how much he disliked him in the current situation.

He would just have to wait. The right time would come eventually.

Rolling onto his side, he closed his eyes and finally fell asleep, where he dreamed, not of red hair, but of blonde.

In the morning he didn't remember his dream, and when he went downstairs for breakfast, he greeted everyone normally and with more cheer than the night before. Ginny was sitting with Dean, but the two of them didn't really look that happy. She was scowling as she played with her oatmeal, and Dean looked worried.

"What's up with them?" Harry asked innocently to Hermione, while focusing a lot of attention on pouring his coffee.

Hermione glanced at Ginny and smiled slightly.

"Oh, well, Ginny thinks that Dean is being overprotective, and Dean doesn't know what he's done wrong."

"Humph."

Harry turned at the sound. It was Ron, also staring at Ginny with a frown on his face.

"Ginny hates being pushed around," he said and started shoveling eggs into his mouth. "Probably won't last long."

Hermione shot a revolted look at Ron, and gathered her things.

"I'm going to the library."

Ron watched her leave and then turned to Harry, his face bewildered.

"Why is that her answer to everything?"

Harry just shrugged. He was just as confused as Ron about Hermione's penchant for the library.

* * *

Spring term left Harry with barely any time to focus on his romantic problems. He was incredibly busy with both Dumbledore's lessons and his obsession with following Draco Malfoy.

It wasn't until the last Quidditch match after Gryffindor won that Harry finally threw all caution to the wind and kissed Ginny right in the middle of the Gryffindor common room. They had a few short blissful weeks, until that awful night when Dumbledore was murdered by Snape. With Snape on the run and Dumbledore dead, Harry's mission was clear. Ron and Hermione were going with him to hunt Horcruxes, and he didn't know how long it would take. It could be years, and he couldn't ask Ginny to wait for him. They broke up, leaving Harry feeling guilty and lost.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

The morning of Bill and Fleur's wedding dawned warm and sunny, but Harry had awoken with a sense of foreboding, and couldn't enjoy it. For him, the wedding was a waste of time. He should be out searching for Horcruxes and trying to find the way to destroy Voldemort once and for all, not disguising himself as a Weasley cousin and standing around drinking champagne.

In the early afternoon, he had taken Polyjuice Potion, and was now greeting guests as a red-headed Weasley called Barny. "Cousin Barny" was a little larger than Harry, so his dress robes were extremely uncomfortable and stifling. He was standing under one of the tents pulling at his collar and watching Fred and George fight over a couple of Fleur's Veela cousins, when he saw Luna coming his way dressed in bright yellow robes. There was also a large yellow sunflower perched on the side of her head.

A few of the guests pointed and giggled, but to Harry she looked, well, like Luna.

As she approached him, he felt some relief that she wouldn't recognize him, but this was dashed as she waved at him.

"Hello, Harry," she said.

"Er—" said Harry, shocked. "How did you know it was me?"

"Your expression," she replied.

"My expression?"

"Of course," she said softly, closing the space between them. "But I would recognize you, no matter what form you took."

Harry was flabbergasted. Perhaps it was the atmosphere under the stuffy tent, or that he wasn't in his own body, because Harry didn't pull away. Instead, his mouth dry, and his heart thrumming in his chest, he stepped closer to her. She smelled like flowers and sunshine.

"How?" he asked softly.

"Because I—" Luna began, but she was interrupted by Hermione, who rushed into the tent looking rather frazzled.

"Harry! I mean Barny, I need—oh!"

Harry turned to see her staring at him, her eyes wide.

"What, Hermione?" he asked tightly.

"I need help the streamers up in the front tent, if you wouldn't mind. I need to help Ginny with her dress."

At Ginny's name, he was flooded with guilt.

"Go on, Harry," Luna said quietly, taking her hand off his arm. "I need to find my father anyways. He's probably bothering the gnomes again." And with that, she drifted away.

Harry watched her go before he turned to Hermione, who was watching him with a curious expression on her face.

"So where are these streamers?" Harry asked briskly, hoping Hermione wouldn't want to talk about what she had just witnessed.

Much to his relief, she didn't say a word about it, but showed him where he needed to put them up and left him to it and his thoughts.

By the end of the ceremony, he had once again convinced himself that it was Ginny that he loved, and that the brief moment he had shared with Luna under the tent was nothing more than an admission of good friendship.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

He met her again in the Malfoy's Dungeon almost a year later. She looked terrible; her hair dirty and her body undernourished. After they escaped to Shell Cottage, during Dobby's funeral, the feelings had had for her at Bill and Fleur's wedding began to creep up upon him, and he found himself avoiding her.

He spent most of his time with Ron and Hermione shut up in a small room making plans to retrieve the goblet from the Lestrange's vault at Gringotts. There were times he wanted to tell her everything that he had been doing the last year, to unburden his fears of death and loneliness because she always seemed to understand him, but he kept his thoughts to himself, and he didn't talk to her alone until the night before he left for Diagon Alley.

He had been moodily contemplating the water (as he did most days since coming to Shell Cottage), when he felt a presence behind him. He turned around to find Luna approaching, her long blonde hair whipping around her in the wind. She was wearing a blue cloak of Fleur's that Harry couldn't help but notice brought out the blue of her eyes.

"Hello, Harry," she said as she clamored over the rocks to where he was. There was a moment when she stumbled, and Harry immediately stood up and caught her hand, helping her over to where he was.

They sat down beside one another—close, but not touching. Harry could feel the heat of her body and the scent of her—

"You know, I think this was the perfect spot to bury Dobby," Luna said solemnly. "Merpeople adore the cliffs around Cornwall. Perhaps they might visit and sing to him."

Harry looked at her sideways, feeling a twinge of humor somewhere inside his chest. It was a wonderful feeling, so different from the aching pain he had felt since Dobby's death. "I don't suppose Fleur would like a bunch of screeching Merpeople hanging around," he replied, giving her a small smile. "Especially not after there are children."

"But in water, Merpeople have the most beautiful voices. Their lullabies will send the fussiest baby to sleep within minutes," Luna replied looking out across the sea. A breeze lifted a lock of her hair over her cheek, where it caught on her lips. Harry suddenly had an urge to brush it away, but before he could, the breeze lifted it away once again.

Instead he nodded and wrapped his arms around his knees, looking back at the water. They sat for a long while, listening to the seagulls and breathing in the salty air.

"Harry," Luna said finally, breaking the silence. "You and I, we have seen death. The veil, do you remember?"

Harry looked over at her and was startled to see her cheeks streaked with tears.

"Luna—"

"I want you to know, it is nothing to be afraid of." she said, and then standing, quickly made her way back over the rocks, leaving Harry staring after her. He clamored to his feet and was just about to follow, when he heard Ron calling his name, carried over the wind. Harry climbed over the rocks and met him half way.

"Hermione says she needs you," Ron said grumpily, his hands shoved in his pockets. "And I've been put on errand boy duty."

"Right," Harry replied absentmindedly, looking over Ron's shoulder for Luna. There was no sign of her.

Ron looked at him curiously. "You looking for something, mate?"

Harry turned his attention to Ron and gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Nah," he said. "C'mon."

That night he couldn't sleep. He wandered through the silent house and found himself standing outside the room where she slept. He almost knocked, but changed his mind at the last moment, unaware that on the other side of the door, Luna wasn't sleeping either.

Instead, he went back to his bed and stared at the ceiling with only his anxiety and doubts for company.

When the sun finally rose, Harry and Ron got up and dressed and went down to meet Hermione and Griphook. As they were leaving the house, Harry thought he felt someone watching him. He turned and looked at the house, and for a brief moment, he thought he saw a flash of blonde hair in a window. When he looked again, there was nothing there.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Days later, as he walked through the Forbidden Forest towards Voldemort to end his life, he thought of Luna back at Shell Cottage, telling him not to be afraid of death.

He couldn't help it. He was afraid—but he wasn't alone. And in the moments before Voldemort's curse struck him, it was Luna's name, and not Ginny's, that formed on his lips to remain unspoken, and unremembered.

At King's Cross, Dumbledore told him he had a choice; he could get on the train, or he could return and finish Voldemort once and for all.

So Harry returned to life to fight for he had seen what Voldemort would become, and it was nothing to be afraid of. He understood now. And he wanted to live.

When it was over, Harry found himself standing near the staircase in the Entrance Hall, knee deep in rubble. Through the bloodshed and anguishing grief around him, Harry caught sight of a blue robe and blonde hair.

When he reached her, she held out her hand, which he took, grateful for the strength he felt in her cool palm.

"I'd want some peace and quiet if it were me."

"I'd love some," he replied, ignoring the quickening of his heart.

She squeezed his hand. "I'll distract them all. Use your cloak." She then looked out the window.

"Oooh, look! A Blibbering Humdinger!" she cried.

Harry slipped on his cloak and with one last look at Luna, left the hall to find the two people he needed most at that moment.

When he returned to the Great Hall, Harry saw Luna standing alone near what used to be the Gryffindor table, though now it was battered from curses that had missed their mark. Harry gently touched its surface as he approached Luna, who was holding something in her hand, turning it over and over.

"Hi Harry," she said softly, a sad smile flitting over her tired and bruised face.

Warmth bubbled up inside of him, catching him off guard.

"Where's your father?" he asked, trying to distract himself from the feelings inside him.

Luna's smile faltered.

"Oh. He's at St. Mungo's."

"Was it the Death Eaters? Did they hurt him?" Harry asked quickly, cursing himself for bringing up her father. The last time he had seen Xenophilius Lovegood was in the hands of Death Eaters the night he had betrayed Harry to Voldemort.

"Nervous breakdown." Luna's voice wavered. "He wasn't the same, Harry. He was so desperate after he lost me, you see. He didn't really know what he was doing."

She lowered her head.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Harry's heart lurched, and forgetting his attempts at restraint he reached out his hand towards her….

"Harry!"

Jolted back to reality, Harry turned to see Mrs. Weasley, who grabbed him into a tight hug. The rest of the Weasley clan and Hermione joined her, tears streaming down their faces.

"Oh Harry," Mrs. Weasley sobbed. "Fred-"

She broke off, unable to continue.

His heart filling with her sorrow, he hugged her back.

Ginny grabbed his hand and squeezed.

This was his family.

After a few moments, Harry remembered Luna, but when he looked around for her, she was gone. Feeling somewhat relieved, Harry started to turn back to Ginny when a small glint on the floor caught his eye.

"Just a minute," Harry muttered as he disengaged himself from Mrs. Weasley. He went to where Luna had stood and, bending over, picked up a small gold coin etched with "Dumbledore's Army".

As Harry turned it over in his hand, feeling the weight of its significance, Luna's words of the previous year came back to him.

"_It was like having friends__..__.."_

At that moment, Harry felt as though he had lost something that had nothing to do with the death and sadness around him.

Debating for a second, he slowly put the coin into his pocket and turned back to the Weasleys, who embraced him once again.

* * *

That autumn, Harry joined the Auror Division at the Ministry of Magic under the supervision of Kingsley Shacklebolt, while Ron put his Auror ambitions aside to help George at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes'. Hermione went back to Hogwarts to complete her seventh year.

It was an incredibly busy first year for Harry, with the reorganization of the Ministry and the implementation of War Crime Trials. The pressure to capture all known sympathizers to Voldemort was enormous. Every day the _Daily Prophet_ reported on how the Auror Department was making Britain safe again. One minor slipup, and the whole fragile trust the people put in the new Ministry could fail. Harry could not let that happen, so he worked day and nights, following leads on Death Eater whereabouts, and testifying in criminal trials.

In what spare time he had, Harry dated Ginny. They didn't see much of each other the first year, as Ginny was still at school. Mrs. Weasley was overjoyed at the prospect of having Harry in her family, and did what she could to make their time during Christmas and Easter breaks as "couple friendly" as possible, much to Harry and Ginny's chagrin. Their relationship was comfortable and warm, and Harry was happy, though every once and a while, a nagging feeling would pull at his heart as if to remind him that life wasn't always as perfect as it seemed. But Harry ignored his heart, and went on with his life.

On a cold, blustery day in November, four months after she graduated from Hogwarts, Harry took Ginny out to dinner and asked her to marry him.

"Oh Harry," Ginny breathed, as she stared at the small gold and diamond ring twinkling on her finger. "It's beautiful!"

Harry grinned. It had taken him ages to find a ring, and with his meager starting salary, he had scrimped and saved for many months.

Ginny looked up, a serious expression replacing her smile.

"Of course we can't get married for at least another year. I promised Mum I wouldn't do what she did, and at least wait until I turned eighteen."

"Of course," Harry said, smiling.

It was a well known fact that Molly and Arthur had married right out of Hogwarts, due to the fact that Voldemort was killing people left and right.

"Plus," Ginny said, taking a giant breath, "I was going to tell you—I just got the letter today- I was signed with the Holyhead Harpies!"

Harry's mouth dropped open and Ginny laughed at his expression.

Ginny had been waiting for months to find out which team had drafted her as a professional Quidditch player. No one had really realized how good she was until after Fred and George had left Hogwarts. Finally it had been the seventh, and youngest Weasley's turn to shine, and she was doing a magnificent job.

"Congratulations," Harry murmured, taking her into his arms and kissing the top of her head. "Don't worry about the wedding. How about next December, right before Christmas?"

Ginny looked up, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

"That would be perfect," she said.

Elated from the copious amounts of champagne and lots of good news, Harry thoroughly kissed Ginny goodbye and Apparated home, after making sure she had done the same. Ginny still lived at the Burrow, and though Harry would have liked to take her home with him, he didn't want to be pummeled alive by her brothers, especially Ron.

Ron had tried to make him promise not to touch her until after they married, but Harry had successfully evaded this promise by pointing out Ron's own conduct with Hermione was less then chivalrous. Turning the color of his hair, Ron had mumbled something about "being made for each other" before dropping the subject.

Up to that point, Harry had done nothing but kiss Ginny, but he was hoping now that she had graduated and would be living in London that would soon change.

But it turned out that Harry and Ginny saw even less of each other, even after Ginny moved to London. Quidditch practices were so long and left her so tired she barely had the energy to Apparate home after a long day.

Harry didn't have much energy either. Most nights, he would eat dinner at a pub, then drag himself home to his flat, where he collapse into bed without so much as removing his clothing.

He usually slept like the dead, but a few times a month he would dream. It was always the same dream, though it slipped away as he woke up leaving him grasping for the quickly fading memory of complete happiness.

Strangely enough, he thought of Luna after these dreams. Granted, he thought about Luna often, but after the dreams she was more vivid in his mind, her eyes clear and bright.

All his thoughts of Luna made Harry extremely uneasy. He tried to expel her from his mind when she appeared, but it was incredibly difficult to do so.

He hadn't talked to Luna since the night Lord Voldemort had been defeated, but he had heard that she had graduated from Hogwarts the same time as Ginny, and was studying botany in London, not far from the Ministry.

He had never tried to get in touch with her, though there were times that he saw her outside the Ministry, as if waiting for something. He always got the feeling it was for him, but he never approached her. He couldn't trust the feelings the welled up inside of him when he was near her, so caution and avoidance were his friends.

He still had the coin she had dropped that day in the Great Hall, keeping it in his wallet, pinned to the leather to keep it from being mistaken for real gold. He had never been able to bring himself to get rid of the coin, and he took it out often to look at it, to feel its smooth surface.

Harry managed to avoid Luna for almost a year and a half. But fate, of course, usually has its own path, and in late December, she came through the snow back into his life.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Harry was eating a late night supper at a Wizard-owned pub around the corner from the Ministry. It was a bitterly cold night, one of the worst winters to hit Britain in the last 150 years. Snow was in the air, but had not fallen yet. The pub was warm and cozy, with a fire in the ancient fireplace, and Christmas music playing from the wireless on the bar. It was nearly empty, being so late, but he didn't mind. Winston, the owner and cook, usually had warm shepherd's pie waiting for him long after the kitchen had closed.

"Thanks, Fred," Harry said to Fred, the bartender, as he placed the steaming potato and vegetable pie in front of him. "It smells delicious as always."

"Only the best for you, Mr. Potter," Fred replied, his blue eyes twinkling in such a familiar way that Harry felt a stab of pain in his chest. Even after two and a half years, Harry missed Dumbledore as if he had only died yesterday. "Hear your gettin' married next year," Fred said knowingly. "That Miss Weasley's a lucky girl, if I don't say so myself."

Harry smiled."Thanks, Fred."

"It's snowing again," Fred said, staring out the window as he absentmindedly wiped the counter.

Harry followed his gaze to the whirlwind of snowflakes beyond the warmth of the pub.

"Funny," Fred muttered, picking up a bar glass, still staring out the window.

Harry looked up at him. "What's funny?" he asked.

"Dunno, Mr. Potter," Fred said placing the glass down and picking up another. "Somethin' funny in the air tonight. Like somethin' fallin' into place."

"Ah," Harry said lightly as he dug into his pie. Fred was a bit strange like that. His grandmother had been a Seer, and he was convinced he had inherited her talent. Mostly he just had an uncanny ability to predict the weather. Harry doubted it was due to any Seer talent.

Harry finished his pie. He opened his wallet to pay for his food when he noticed the gold coin Luna had dropped in the Great Hall. He gently lifted it out, and held it up to the light. It looked the same as always. Feeling warm and sleepy, he closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, still clutching the golden coin. He was dozing peacefully when something set his senses on high alert.

Perhaps it was something about the way the bell on the door rang, or the way the winter wind blew in, chilling the room, that made him open his eyes.

There she was, wearing a brown coat and a blue knit cap with a large puffball on the top. Harry watched her, his heart beating faster, as she sat down a couple of tables across from him, her blue eyes sparkling in the firelight, and her nose red from the cold.

The waiter brought her tea, and Harry watched her pour in a bit of milk and take a sip. After a couple of moments, she looked over the rim of her cup, directly at him as if somehow she had known he was there.

"Hi Harry," Luna said softly.

The fire crackled merrily, and an instrumental "Silent Night" began playing softly over the speakers.

"Hi Luna," he replied, feeling acutely uncomfortable under her gaze.

"How have you been?" Luna asked, giving him a small smile.

"Oh, you know," Harry tossed out, carefully avoiding her eyes. "Hunting renegade dark wizards and the like."

His voice sounded harsh and grating to his ears, and he noticed a small crease form between Luna's eyebrows. Feeling guilty, he smiled and tried to return the question, but it just came out forced.

"You?"

"I've been…well," Luna said hesitantly.

Harry knew she was lying, but he pushed down his desire to find out why, and not knowing what to say, he looked down at his tea cup. He noticed the leaves there, and suddenly remembered the Grim. It all seemed so long ago, almost a different lifetime when Professor Trelawny had predicted his death in his third year at Hogwarts. He had hated all the whispers and all the staring eyes. The one good thing that had happened that year was that he had met his godfather.

Harry felt his eyes burn; he hadn't thought of Sirius in a long time.

"Memories are precious things," Luna said, so softly, Harry barely heard her.

"Sorry?" he asked, distractedly. Tonight seemed to be a night for remembering those who had died, and were long gone.

"Nothing," she said, turning her face away from him.

Harry looked at her then, taking in the way her blonde hair curled slightly at the bottom, and her bright rainbow colored nails. He noticed a hole in the sweater she wore, and wondered if her father still took care of her.

He felt concern for her wellbeing begin to bloom in his chest, and in attempt to force it down, he looked outside the window at the snow.

Had she walked here through all that in nothing but those leather boots? Her feet must be soaked.

_Stop it_, Harry told himself. But the thoughts kept coming. Was she eating enough? Did she have any friends? What was she doing out so late on a cold winter night, alone?

It was all too much; he had to get out of there.

"I'm sorry, I have to go." Harry mumbled as he fled out the door into the falling snow.

He was halfway around the corner of the pub when a surprisingly strong grip on his upper arm forced him to stop.

He slowly turned around.

"Why are you running from me, Harry?" Luna's voice cut through the snowy silence.

"I'm not-" he started defiantly, but she interrupted him.

"Don't lie!" she said sharply, her eyes flashing brilliant blue.

Her reaction was so out of character, that Harry was stunned. He regained his composure a second later, and lashed out.

"Why do you care?"

"I haven't talked to you in over a year!" she cried out, as Harry looked away, his face burning with guilt and shame. "I've tried to see you, but you make it too hard. You're avoiding me!"

"I'm not—"

"Yes you are!" she said angrily. "Why? What did I do?"

Harry finally lost control of himself. He grabbed her arms in a display of force and violence he never would have expected from himself.

"Because I can't get you out of my head!" he shouted.

Luna struggled in his grip, but Harry refused to let go. Bitterness filled him and he said in a slightly self mocking tone, "I think about you entirely too much for a man who's engaged to be married."

She stopped struggling and stared at him.

Silence enveloped them and Harry looked up into the gray, snowy sky, feeling the flakes melt on his cheeks like tears.

"Why is it," Harry said finally, his voice low, "that I always meet you when it's snowing?"

Luna said nothing.

"I'm marrying Ginny," he said softly, more to himself than to her.

"Right. Well, goodbye, Harry," Luna said brokenly, and then she was gone, leaving Harry the most lonely he had ever felt in his life.

Stuffing his hands in his coat pockets, Harry trudged home through the snow, the coin still tightly enclosed in his fist.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

As the seasons passed, Harry focused all his energy on his work, ignoring the pit in his stomach. He saw Luna every once and a while, though she stopped coming to see him outside the Ministry. She had always looked somewhat bedraggled, but every time he saw her she looked sadder and even more unkempt.

And he was sleeping badly, dreaming the same dream he had been having for two years. As his wedding date grew closer, the dream grew more frequent, but he still could not remember anything upon waking.

When he finally spoke to someone about it, he chose Hermione. She stared at him curiously after he told her how often he had it.

"I'd try dream catching," she said finally.

"Dream catching?" Harry asked in surprise. He'd never thought of that.

"Well, it's obviously trying to tell you something," she replied. "And its probably important if the dream comes almost every night."

So Harry borrowed some books on the subject and soon learned dream catching was very difficult to do. It involved a complex spell and quick reflexes, so Harry persisted night after night, wand in hand, trying to catch the thread of the fading dream before it was gone. It took him months, but one night in late October he finally succeeded.

The dream was particularly vivid that night, and he woke up gasping, his heart pounding wildly. The dream was quickly fading away, but Harry was finally quick enough, and caught the tip of the dream a split second before it was gone.

"Gotcha," he whispered triumphantly.

He pulled the memory out of his head and put it into a small glass bottle, on which he placed a sealing charm.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, Harry got up in the darkness before dawn, dressed himself for work, and Apparated to the Ministry. The halls were empty, except for a few harassed looking wizards in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office dragging what looked to be a Muggle computer down to the procedural room.

Harry said good morning (though they barely noticed, as what looked to be a scaly claw attached to a leg stuck out of the screen), and hurried up to the Auror Department. He unlocked the door and went over to the cabinet where the Pensieve stood. Taking a deep breath, he took the small bottle out of his robes, uncorked it and tipped the silvery material onto the glassy surface. Placing his head into the bowl, he felt the familiar sensation of falling. When it stopped he opened his eyes to find himself standing in the Weasleys' living room. The edges of the dream were fuzzy, like a painting; Harry could only see his immediate surroundings. There, sitting on the floor before him, was himself and Luna Lovegood playing a resounding game of Exploding Snap. In shock, Harry slowly moved towards them. He saw that both were wearing Weasley sweaters, Harry in green and Luna in blue.

The other Harry grinned as he turned over two matching cards.

"Another!" he cried, as the cards exploded. Luna giggled, and hugged her knees to her chest.

"I win again," the other Harry said teasingly, gently pushing his pointer finger against her forehead. Luna pushed his hand away playfully.

"Maybe so," she said serenely. "But I thought I saw a Wrackspurt floating around here. You had better watch out."

Laughing, the other Harry leaned over the cards and kissed Luna on the mouth. She pushed him away, but he persisted, until finally she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him on top of her. Unable to watch anymore, Harry pulled himself out of the Pensieve and slumped onto the floor beside it.

That was his ultimate happiness: playing Exploding Snap with Luna Lovegood.

Feeling as though he'd been hit alongside the head with a Bludger, Harry got through his work day running on autopilot. At nine o'clock, Harry Apparated home, made himself a cup of tea, and sat down on the couch in his living room.

He felt strangely calm. For the first time since the disastrous kiss on the Quidditch pitch, he finally, truly understood what he had been avoiding.

A small smile curved the corners of his lips as he imagined the way her hair curled over her shoulders, and how warm her eyes were when she smiled at him. He knew now it had started that night after Sirius died when she had been looking for her lost stuff. That feeling of pity he had felt had gradually turned into something else, and he had been a fool not to realize it.

_Except that you did realize it_, Harry said to himself, as the smile slipped from his face. _You just didn't want to admit that you were wrong about Ginny_.

Harry picked up photo of Ginny in her Holyhead Harpies robes that sat on his tea table. She was smiling and waving to him as her beautiful red hair swung out behind her.

Ginny would be heartbroken if he broke off the wedding, and he doubted the Weasleys would ever forgive him. He knew Ron wouldn't. His heart wrenched painfully at the full acknowledgement of his terrible mistake. He had been such an idiot, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't hurt the only family he had ever known, even if that meant giving up the one thing that would make him completely happy.

Putting his cup in the sink, Harry slowly made his way up the stairs of his lonely flat and went to bed. For the first time in months, his sleep was black and dreamless.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Oh, the angst! **

**I wanted to thank all the people who have reviewed my little story, glowing and constructive alike. I don't always answer everyone, but I am grateful just the same! **

**Anyways...allons-y!**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Harry became more and more withdrawn. He always felt sick, with dark circles under his eyes, and little appetite. When he visited the Healers at St. Mungos, they said he was physically fine. He could feel Ginny looking at him when she though he didn't notice, her brows drawn together with concern.

He was sitting in the Weasleys' kitchen one afternoon a couple weeks before the wedding, listening to Ginny chatter about the color of the bridesmaid dresses, when his eye caught the guest list peeking out from under a stack of announcements. Harry had let Ginny send out the invitations, so he was mildly curious when he picked the list up. Scanning it, his eyes widened in shock as he saw Luna's name scrawled out at the bottom.

"Why did you invite Luna?" Harry asked suddenly, the words out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Ginny looked up from her color swatches, a surprised look on her face. "What do you mean? Of course I invited her, she's our friend."

"Right," Harry said, regaining control of his emotions.

"What's wrong Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing," Harry replied, guilt bubbling up inside of him. "I'm sorry."

"And why are you concerned about the Lovegoods?" Ginny persisted. "Luna's not coming anyways."

"I'm-" Harry stopped short. "She's not?"

Ginny looked at him curiously.

"No, I got a message from her father. Apparently she's unwell and she's left school." "Unwell?" Harry asked, growing cold. "What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know," Ginny replied, turning back to her swatches. "I don't even know where she's gone. Apparently she's not at home, and Xenophilius was really vague about where she'd gone off to."

"Not St. Mungo's, then?"

"He didn't say," Ginny said, looking at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"No reason," Harry said in as careless a tone as he could muster. What was the matter with her? Where could she have gone?

_Stop it_, Harry told himself firmly. _You're getting marrie__d. T__hink of the wedding, or if you can't do that, think of work._

"Right," he said aloud. "I've got to go."

And with a quick kiss on the cheek, Harry Disapparated, leaving Ginny alone in the middle of the cluttered kitchen, staring at the spot he had just vacated.

* * *

But Harry was unable to focus on anything but Luna and where she might be, what might be wrong. His distraction was so bad that he accidentally set fire to Neville's robes in a meeting one day and didn't realize it until someone was shouting in his ear.

Hermione finally came to see him at work two days before the wedding to ask him what was wrong. She walked into his office in mother mode, her arms crossed over her chest and her brows drawn together.

"You look like death warmed over, Harry. Not a good look for the bridegroom at his own wedding."

Harry looked up at her from behind the stacks of paperwork he had neglected to file in recent days. He had been staring at the criminal record of a former Death Eater, unable to take in any of what he read.

"What's wrong?" she asked in a gentler tone. "Even Ron hasn't got a clue why you've been so withdrawn." She put a cool hand against his forehead. "Are you sick?"

"No, Hermione, I'm fine," Harry said wearily. "At least that's what the Healers at St. Mungo's tell me." He put the report on top of the smallest paper pile and picked up another from the larger stack.

"Well something's not right," Hermione said, taking the chair across from his desk. "If you're not sick, what could it be?"

Suddenly her eyes narrowed, and Harry got a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Is it the wedding?"

"No," Harry said, but he couldn't meet her eyes. He picked up another report and tried to read it, but the lines blurred before his tired eyes.

They sat in silence, but Harry could feel Hermione watching him.

"You know," Hermione said finally, "I received an owl from McGonagall the other day. Apparently Luna left school and has been taking care of the owls at Hogwarts."

Harry looked up sharply, his heart thudding in his chest.

"She said-"

Hermione paused a moment before continuing, her voice tentative and low, barely above a whisper.

"She said Luna was suffering from a broken heart."

Her words hit him like a ton of bricks, and it felt like his limbs had lead in them.

"Oh," he said slowly. "So that's what I've been feeling. A broken heart."

He placed his hand on his chest and felt his heart beating against his ribs.

"I've always wondered what that felt like."

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said softly, taking his hand in her own. "I've wondered for a long time."

When he finally built up enough courage and met Hermione's eyes, they were filled with both pity and, to his utter surprise, relief.

He gave her a sardonic smile. "Am I that obvious?" he asked, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Hermione smiled at him sadly and squeezed his hand. "Only to me. I'm the only one who has known you long enough, other than Ron. And you know how oblivious he is."

Harry gave a small chuckle, but there was no humor in it.

"What are you going to do?" she asked softly, her large brown eyes piercing his.

Harry shrugged desperately.

"What can I do, Hermione?" he asked bitterly. "I'm getting married in two days, and I'm in love with another woman."

He stood up and paced the room, no longer able to sit still without fearing he was about to go mad.

"I'm so in love with her I can't eat, I feel ill all the time, and I can't sleep for fear of dreaming." He stopped suddenly and turned to Hermione, who was watching him with a puzzled look on her face. "Remember that dream I was having? The one I couldn't remember? It was about Luna," he said softly. His shoulders sagged and he felt drained.

"She's my soulmate, Hermione, and I was too stupid to realize it."

Hermione's eyes widened but she said nothing.

He dropped into his chair and covered his face with his hands. "And now it's too late," he said, muffled. He felt dreadful, but there was the tiniest spark of relief from having shared this with someone else. The burden was no longer his alone.

"No, it's not," Hermione whispered, coming over and kneeling in front of him.

She grasped his hands and pulled them away from his face.

"You may hurt Ginny dreadfully, Harry, but it is much worse to go through with the wedding. It isn't fair to you, and it definitely isn't fair to her."

Harry looked up at her. "But-"

"No!" Hermione interrupted him, her voice urgent. "Can you imagine your life? You would be desperately unhappy, and you would ruin her life. Can't you see, Harry? It may be painful now, and yes, there is a possibility she will never forgive you..."

She faltered here, and Harry knew she was also thinking of Ron and rest of the Weasleys. She took a deep breath and went on.

"…but she doesn't deserve to live her life with a man who is in love with someone else. You have to tell her."

She smiled sadly, tears in her eyes.

"And think of Luna. If she truly is your soulmate, she won't be able to live a full, happy life without you, and you without her. If this is how you feel now, imagine how you'll feel in twenty, thirty years from now."

Harry shivered at the thought. He would not want to live.

He looked up into Hermione's tear stained smiling face.

"Will you come with me?"

She nodded and held out her hand. He took it, and together they Apparated to the Burrow, which was (thankfully) empty except for Ginny, who had just returned from Quidditch practice. Leaving Hermione in the living room to wait for the rest of the family, Harry entered the kitchen.

She was at the stove, pouring water from a steaming kettle into a large basin. Harry caught sight of her feet, which were bare and blistered.

"Ginny?" he asked tentatively, his heart in his throat.

She looked up in surprise.

"Harry! What are you doing here?"

"Let me help you with that," he said quickly, taking the basin from her, and placing it in front of one of the kitchen chairs. She sat down and put her feet in the water.

"Ah, that feels so good." Ginny sighed. "My boots chafe so much!"

Not knowing how to start, Harry knelt in front of the basin and gently picked up one of her feet, the water trickling down his calloused fingers onto her calloused toes, the scars of Quidditch and of war.

_We are so similar_, Harry thought to himself sadly.

"Ginny?" he asked after a time.

"Hm?" Ginny murmured, her eyes closed.

"I found out where Luna is." He continued to wash her feet.

"Oh? Where?"

"She's at Hogwarts, taking care of the owls."

Ginny opened one eye and looked at him.

"Why is she there?"

"It's because she's heartbroken," Harry said softly.

"Heartbroken?" Ginny asked in quiet surprise. "Luna?"

"Yes. And it's because of me."

Her eyes flew open and she sat up sharply. Harry took her hands in his as he gathered his courage.

"That's why I can't—" But his throat closed up. Tears came to his eyes but he didn't bother to wipe them away.

"What is it, Harry?" Ginny asked, her voice fearful. "Look at me."

Harry swallowed but couldn't meet her eyes.

"Look at me!" she said again sharply.

Harry forced himself to look at her.

"That's why I can't marry you," he said steadily.

She turned white as a sheet and pulled her feet out of the water.

"Do you love her?" she asked forcefully.

"I dream about her every night."

"I asked you if you love her!"

"Yes! She's my soulmate," Harry said. "I can't pretend anymore, not even for you. And I did try. I did-"

His voice cracked and he could go no further. There was a moment of horrible silence before Ginny let out a sound so dreadful, it was almost more than he could bear.

"No!" she wailed, trying to pull away from him, knocking over the basin of water. The water flooded around Harry's knees, but he did not even notice.

Ginny began to hit his shoulders and chest with her fists, and he grasped her around the waist.

"How could you do this to me, Harry? How?" she sobbed, hitting him over and over again.

Harry hugged her tightly, knowing that it would do nothing to ease the pain he had caused her.

"I love you, Harry," she sobbed, letting her hands fall to her sides. "What am I going to do? What am I going to do?"

But he had no answer for her. As the sun sank beneath the edge of the earth bringing night, Ginny sobbed and Harry held her, unable to provide what it was she wanted so much.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Harry left the Weasleys' at dawn the following morning on what should have been their wedding day. It was bitterly cold, snow hanging heavily in the air. Ron came out behind him, his hands stuffed in his pockets and a scowl on his face. They stood a moment in the yard, saying nothing as Harry gingerly put on his helmet, carefully avoiding his bruised and swollen eye.

Ron had hit him when he found out, and Harry had stood there without fighting back. Molly had screamed at him, and Arthur had stood in grieving silence. It was the most painful experience in Harry's life thus far, but he knew he deserved it.

Before he left, Arthur had put a hand on his arm, squeezing it gently, a sad smile on his face. The tiniest spark of hope that one day he might be forgiven had filled him, and he had stared into Arthur's eyes, willing him to understand how sorry he was.

Now, Harry looked back at Ron, who was glaring at him, his arms crossed against his chest. Hope fading, Harry lifted his kickstand, and reached out to start his bike when-

"You really blew it mate," Ron said, letting his arms drop to his sides.

"I know-" Harry started, but Ron interrupted him, holding up his hand.

"Don't Harry. If you say anything I just might hit you again. You don't want a matching black eye to the one you've already got, do you?"

The tiniest smile lifted the corners of his mouth and Harry's insides sank in relief.

"Go," Ron mumbled. "Hermione explained to me how it works, soulmates. I know it's not your fault."

At Ron's words, Harry felt like he was getting off too easy. He was leaving one broken heart to mend another.

"Tell Ginny-" he started then stopped. What more could he say? Nothing he said would make what he had done better. Not even time.

"Tell Ginny I'm sorry," he said finally, hating the words as they came out of his mouth. Without looking at Ron, he started his bike, raised his hand in farewell, and took off north into the storm clouds. Ron watched him a moment before turning and heading back into the Burrow.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

_Luna_

The air was heavy with snow that had yet to fall. White storm clouds were rolling in from the north, drowning out the watery colored sunset. Owls returning from delivering letters and parcels flew across the grounds, home to the safety of their perches in the owlery, eager to avoid snow that would soon follow.

Luna was perched on the sill of one of the large windows in the owlery, her eyes skyward, watching the owls fly home. Her long blond hair was loose and uncombed under her hat, and her gloved hands trembled as they lay in her lap.

Harry had gotten married today.

She had received the invitation to the wedding, but had never opened it. It was still lying on her dining room table covered in candle wax and unused spells.

That day her hands began to tremble. It became so bad she couldn't write or do wand work. She had also become something of an insomniac. Unable to sleep and unable to work, she spent the small hours of the morning staring out into the sky or cooking food she had no appetite for.

After a couple of weeks, she'd left school and her small house, and went to the only other place she felt she could escape. Her father's house was too close to the Burrow, and Luna didn't know if she could stand being there.

The headmistress had wisely said nothing of Luna's state, but given her a job cleaning the owlery and feeding the birds. She had taken a room near her old dormitory, a part of the castle she felt comfortable in, and spent her days in the owlery, or having tea with Hagrid. It wasn't until she was alone in her bed at night when her heart filled her throat with dread and she stared at the ceiling until finally she might drift off into an uneasy sleep filled with dreams she knew never could be fulfilled.

The morning of Harry's wedding she dressed in her favorite blue dress and pink sweater, and went down to the kitchens to have breakfast. The toast had tasted like sawdust on her tongue, so she left it uneaten and went back up to her room, where she tried to distract herself with her old books. She tried to complete simple spells, but her hands shook too much. After a couple of hours and then finally setting her hair on fire, she curled up on her bed and stared out the window.

When the sun began to set, she suddenly and desperately had not wanted to be alone. She climbed to the owlery where she sat now.

The owls were a comforting presence to her as they didn't ask questions or exchange pitying looks with one another.

As the air quieted, the owls began to return and a tiny one flew in and landed on her shoulder, hooting loudly.

"I'm sorry," Luna said softly stroking its tiny head with her shaky fingers. "I don't have anything for you today."

The owl started nibbling at her radish earring.

"That's not food, little guy," she protested quietly, but she made no effort to stop him.

As his feathers caressed her cheeks, the tears that had been threatening to fall all day, responded to the gentle touch and spilled down her cheeks. Huge silent, sobs began to wrack her body, and the little owl, surprised by the sudden anguish emitting from her, took off for his perch.

As Luna wept, the first snowflakes began to fall, gently resting on her cheeks where they melted and mingled with her tears. She placed a hand over her chest, feeling her broken heart beating, wondering if it would ever heal. He was lost to her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: COMPLETE. I know everyone loves long chapters, but that didn't happen, sorry! I wrote it all before publishing, and while it seemed long on Word, I got it in here, and it wasn't. Eh, what are you gonna do? Anyways, thanks for all the lovely reviews and the support for this pairing. I just want to note that I don't hate Ginny. I love Ginny-just not with Harry. :)**

**Chapter Thirteen**

_Harry_

Harry took the stairs two at a time. His feet pounded across the stones, drowning out the pounding of his heart. It was as if an invisible thread pulled him in the right direction, for he had no conscious thought of where he was going. It wasn't until he reached the bottom of the stairs leading to the owlery that it hit him:

Of course she was there, in the place where he had first denied their connection. She had known it then, the smart Ravenclaw that she was, but he had been stubborn and thickheaded. Regret flared up inside him as he thought of all the time he had wasted chasing after what he thought he was supposed to have wanted, instead of recognizing what he did want when it was standing right in front of him.

He grasped the door handle and pushed with all his might, slamming the door against the wall behind it.

He saw her instantly, sitting on the ledge wrapped in blue robes and covered in snow, her long blonde hair uncombed and wet. Candlelight flickered overhead, catching the tears in her eyes.

She looked up at him, her eyes widening in shock. Slowly she slipped off the ledge, her hands behind her back.

"Harry," she stammered, her voice filled with surprise.

He started at her voice, but didn't move closer. He could see the dark circles under her eyes, and the pallor of her skin. She looked as awful as he felt

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," he replied softly, "I heard you left school because you were sick. I found out you were here."

"Isn't it your wedding day?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Luna—"

"Look," Luna interrupted, and she thrust her hands out in front of her.

They were shaking, and Harry could see burn marks.

"They won't stop shaking. I can't do anything useful. Ever since the invitation came—they won't stop."

Guilt flooded Harry, and everything he had planned on saying to her flew out of his head. He stood staring at her helplessly, unable to form the words he so desperately wanted her to hear.

"Why do you have a black eye?" she asked, shoving her arms behind her back.

"Because Ron punched me." he said flatly.

"Why would he do that?"

"Because…" He hesitated. "Because I told Ginny I couldn't marry her."

Luna's eyes flew to his.

"Why?"

There was a heavy silence, save the gentle sound of their breathing and the soft rustle of owl feathers, as Harry struggled to find the right words.

"Why Harry?" she asked again, her voice filled with desperation.

"Because I love you," he said finally, holding out his hands in a gesture of surrender. "You're my soulmate, and I can't deny it any longer. Not for her, not for Ron, not anyone."

Her face paled and she took a step towards him, but he was already there. He took her into his arms and murmured her name over and over again. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

After a few moments, she looked up into his face, their eyes meeting. Harry's heart skipped a beat, as it always seemed to when he looked at Luna. He brushed his thumb across her cheek, and under her heavily bruised eyes, and the shame came rushing back.

"I've been such a fool," he murmured. "I don't know how you could ever forgive me for being so blind."

"Love, though said to be afflicted with blindness, is a vigilant watchman," Luna said softly.

"What does that mean?" Harry asked, the old familiar feelings when talking to Luna bubbling up from somewhere deep inside him.

Her brow furrowed slightly.

"I have no idea," she said quite seriously, and suddenly she smiled in her familiar, dreamy way, her whole face lighting up like a sunbeam through dark clouds.

Harry's heart burst with joy, and cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her full on the mouth. All the pain and anguish of the last few years just seemed to melt out of him, and he knew then and there, everything would be alright.

He was finally home.


End file.
